The launch of a new airline promising regular flights between Phnom Penh and China has been stalled, awaiting government approval. Apsara International Air – co-owned by Chinese and Cambodian investors – now plans to begin operations sometime in 2014 as talks between the airline and the href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/aspara-internationals-china-flights-delayed/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...

The Phnom Penh Special Economic Zone (PPSEZ) plans to raise money to fund an expansion through an initial public offering, a senior official from the Securities and Exchange Commission of Cambodia (SECC) said yesterday. If successful, PPSEZ could become one of the few companies to list on href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/economic-zone-may-go-public/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...

Eight unionists locked in prison in Kampong Speu province since violent clashes at the Sabrina Garment factory in May and June were released on bail yesterday, court and union officials said. Cheum Rithy, a provincial judge, said he had decided to release the eight Free Trade href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/sabrina-workers-out-after-months-in-jail/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...

The opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party’s (CNRP) lawmakers continued their boycott of the National Assembly session on Tuesday. CNRP spokesman Yem Punharith said that the lawmakers of the CNRP didn’t attend today’s session of the National Assembly because solutions to the election disputes have not yet href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/na-spokesman-says-oppositions-boycott-makes-no-impact-on-session/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...

Office space demand in Cambodia remained stable in the third quarter of this year, the lack of growth reflecting market concerns regarding post-election political instability, property experts say. Hang Yuvan, sales manager at Phnom Penh Tower, said that office space demand should improve by the end href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/office-demand-expected-to-pick-up/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...

The rights group Adhoc says it is monitoring “at least 100” individuals who are complicit in forestry crimes across the country. These include “high-ranking officers” of the police and military police; business tycoons; and ordinary citizens across 11 provinces, Chan Soveth, a lead investigator for the href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/new-report-shows-cambodian-forests-in-jeopardy/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev extended his congratulations to Hun Sen for being re- elected as the Prime Minister of Cambodia for another five-year term after his ruling party won the July 28 election. “I congratulate you on taking up the post of Prime Minister of href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/russian-pm-greets-cambodias-hun-sen-for-being-re-elected-as-pm/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...

Three people have died, six remain missing and more than 100 homes have been affected by heavy rains that began on Wednesday in Kampong Chhnang and Kandal provinces, local authorities said yesterday. Prak Sophorn, director of the Kampong Chnnang provincial Cambodian Red Cross office, said yesterday href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/three-dead-after-storms-hit/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...

Cambodian Ministry of Labor said Friday that outlawed strikes have frightened employers and worsened investment climate in the country. “The ministry calls for the (opposition) Cambodia National Rescue Party and six trade unions to immediately stop inciting workers to commit violence, road blockade, and destruction of href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/cambodia-says-outlawed-strikes-adversely-affect-investment-climate/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...

The United States on Friday appealed for peaceful dialogue and denounced violence in Cambodia after police opened fire on protesting garment workers, killing three people. “The United States deeply regrets the recent loss of life in Cambodia during violent clashes between protesters and government security forces,” href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/us-urges-restraint-in-cambodia-after-violence/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...

The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), along with local rights groups Licadho and Adhoc, denounced the Friday shooting of protesting garment workers by police in a joint statement released in Paris on Monday. “The killing of demonstrators by government authorities is totally unacceptable. The government href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/rights-groups-condemn-killing-of-protesters/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...

Despite recent political turbulence, local investors in the Phnom Penh property sector are not deterred and are still bullish on the market’s future prospects. One good example of this local optimism is Ly Hour Group, which recently announced it would invest more than $100 million to href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/political-issues-not-affecting-property-sector-for-now/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...

More than 60 wooden homes in Pursat province were burned to the ground Wednesday by officials in Veal Veng district, who claimed that the owners were living on state land, rights group Licadho said. “On Wednesday morning, police, military police, RCAF soldiers and the deputy provincial href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/authorities-burn-60-homes-in-pursat-province/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...

The Asian Development Bank announced Wednesday that it will provide $81.7 million, including a $6.7 million grant from Australia, in additional financing to help Cambodia recover from catastrophic floods in late 2013. The flooding affected 1.7 million people and caused an estimated $356 million in damage. href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/adb-provides-cambodia-more-than-80-mil-for-flood-relief/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...

Ever since some 500 people laid siege to the home of traditional healer pov Sovann, dragged him out and brutally stoned him to death over the course of eight hours on Sunday, two opposing sets of fears have gripped members of his community in Takeo href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/village-stoning-breeds-fears/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...

The Kandal Provincial Court will question five prisoners next month over the theft of 2,500-year-old relics of the Buddha from the top of Odong mountain in December to ascertain if they were actually involved, a court official said Monday. Lim Sokuntha, an investigating judge at the href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/kandal-court-may-release-men-charged-with-odong-relic-theft/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...

Approximately 2,000 Chinese businesspeople and tourists have crossed the Vietnamese border into Cambodia these days to escape anti-China riots in Vietnam, a senior Cambodian official said Tuesday. “Some 2,000 Chinese nationals have fled Vietnam to Cambodia,” Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sar Kheng told reporters. href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/some-2000-chinese-flee-vietnam-to-cambodia-cambodian-deputy-pm/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...

Cambodia will take in only voluntary refugees from Australia, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hor Namhong said Wednesday. “We will only receive refugees, who voluntarily agree to come to Cambodia, not by force,” he said in a response to questions raised by journalists. “This is href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/cambodia-says-to-accept-only-voluntary-refugees-from-australia/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...

Cambodia celebrated the International Children’s Day on Sunday with calls for an end to violence against children. The celebration, themed “Together to eliminate violence against children”, brought together some 2,500 participants including officials, diplomats, development partners, teachers and students. Currently, the country has about 5.48 million href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/cambodia-marks-childrens-day-calling-for-end-to-violence-against-children/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...

Mid-level negotiations between the CPP and opposition CNRP to end the country’s political deadlock hit yet another snag Thursday, this time over how to elect members to the National Election Committee (NEC), though the parties did agree to keep talking. The talks were the second since href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/party-talks-to-end-assembly-boycott-hit-additional-hurdles/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...